John Capo d'Ystria monument unveiled on Greek square in St.Petersburg

Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos Simitis, who arrived in St.Petersburg on Thursday for the Russia-EU summit and the anniversary festivities, has unveiled a monument to the first president of Greece, John Capo d'Ystria. In 1809-1827 he was in the Russian diplomatic service.

Opening up, the Greek prime minister said: "This monument is an event of exclusive historic importance for both Russian-Greek relations and the European value of St.Petersburg".

Simitis thanked the Russian Greeks who gave St.Petersburg as a gift the monument to the first ruler of contemporary Greece. The move emphasizes symbolic value of this personality for our two peoples, said the Greek premier.

The bronze monument, sculptured by Vyacheslav Klykov, has been erected on Greek Square in St.Petersburg on the initiative of the Greek government and on the money of Greek public associations in Russia. The words on the pedestal in Russian and Greek read: "To John Capo d'Ystria from Thankful Russia". The engraving on the back of the pedestal reads: "On the 300th Anniversary of St.Petersburg from Greece".